News in Brief: City considering fire department staffing changes

At Tuesday evening’s city council meeting, the Davis City Council voted to postpone the decision to staff fire engines with fewer firefighters until it decides the budget for the next fiscal year.

Currently, each fire station — Downtown Station 31, West Davis Station 32 and South Davis Station 33 — has at least four staff members. The city council proposed to reduce the number of staff members to three per fire engine, in order to add two firefighters to a rescue unit at Station 31 on Fifth Street. This proposal would save $360,000 annually.

The council voted that a decision must be made by June 30 and a formal check-in will occur on May 14. The budget for the next fiscal year will be introduced on April 9.